The Clubhouse Program

The Clubhouse Program is a supportive network of members who participate in a work-oriented environment where they develop and engage in practical, functional community work and living skills.  The program is designed to address the vocational, cognitive, behavioral, social and emotional difficulties which individuals affected by brain injury frequently experience as they try to resume their lives.

Members and staff work together to plan and carry out the wide variety of jobs, tasks, and functions needed each day to operate the Clubhouse.  The Clubhouse location, program structure, activities, and staff-member relationship emphasize the important of self determination and community self-sufficiency following brain injury.

The Clubhouse structure is divided into units, which incorporate all of the program operations and activities, as follows:

• The Clubhouse Communications Program is housed within the Communications Unit.  In this Unit, members produce all correspondence, determine the editorial content of the member newsletters, create the monthly calendar, special event invitations and flyers.  Members manage our phone system, faxing and copying as well as monitor our email and update our web site.
  

• The Resource Identification and Advocacy Program is housed within the Resource Unit.  Activities include the identification and management of transportation and community resources to support the members, and advocacy by and on behalf of the members in order that they can efficiently access all available resources.  This program also includes the writing of special articles and the publishing, printing and mailing of the member newsletter.  An education component addressing the specialized needs of members offers fundamental skill development in reading, writing, and cognitive training.  Lastly, community education and brain injury awareness is managed within this Unit.
  

• The Social & Recreational Community Re Entry Program is housed with in the Resources Unit.  This program offers our members the opportunity to plan and implement special events such as holiday celebrations, office celebrations, birthdays, employment anniversaries, as well as recreation in the community such as plays, movies, lunches, shopping and other activities.

  The Resource Unit now has a lunch program where members develop a menu, shop, cook and serve lunch.  This unit also includes addressing other areas of our members daily lives like banking skills, shopping skills, training in transportation planning, scheduling doctor visits and a variety of other life skills.

• The Vocational Evaluation and Work Adjustment Training Program is housed within the Vocational Unit.  This program is affiliated with local county offices of The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) and provides on site and community evaluation and adjustment training to individuals referred by the DVR as well as to any interested members.  Both group and individual sessions and workshops are provided on a variety of topics such as resume writing, work attitude, work ethics, behavior and interviewing skills and interpersonal skills.
  
  
• The Case Management involves monitoring the progress of a member whose needs require the services of multiple professionals, agencies, healthcare facilities and human service programs.  This critical service assists Opportunity Project’s members with planning, seeking and monitoring complementary services.  The goal is to ensure coordination with other agencies in order that members receive the care and opportunities to which they are entitled.  Good case management results in services that are appropriate to client needs, and are not wasteful of funds.

Opportunity Project provides the following additional services to our members:

            Individual, Group Counseling, and Peer Support Groups